Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) fought more fights inRocky IIIthan any othermovie in theRockyfranchise. Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone,Rocky IIIsuccessfully revitalized the style and energy of theRockymovies for the 1980s. InRocky III, Balboa was the heavyweight champion of the world and faced a fearsome new challenger, Clubber Lang (Mr. T), who forced Rocky to regain his missing"Eye of the Tiger."
Rocky IIIsoft-rebooted the franchise dramatically as well as aesthetically. After five years as heavyweight champion, Rocky Balboa was now a wealthy and popular champion and celebrity. Rocky also physically remade himself to be more muscular and chiseled, and the former “bum"from Philadelphia was smarter, too.Rocky IIIupended Balboa’s life by killing off his manager, Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith). Rocky’s former rival,Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), stepped in as Balboa’s new trainer and best friend. ButRocky III’s fights are perhaps the biggest departure from before.
Rocky Fought 14 Fights In Rocky III But We Only Saw 3
Balboa Even Fought A Boxer Vs. Wrestler Match
Rocky Balboa fought four times inRocky III, more than in any otherRockymovie.Rocky’s record inRocky IIIis 1-2-1 among the fights seen in the film. Balboa went to a draw in a charityboxer vs. wrestler match with Thunderlips(Hulk Hogan), the heavyweight wrestling champion. Rocky was then knocked out in two rounds and lost the heavyweight title to Clubber. In their rematch, Rocky regained the title by knocking out Clubber in three rounds. Rocky and Apollo then began a private fight to endRocky III. Years later, inCreed, Rocky admitted that Apollo won their secret fight.
Rocky Balboa’s Movie Boxing Record (Every Win & Loss)
Rocky Balboa had a legendary boxing career in his movie franchise. Here is Rocky’s professional fight record, as well as his brawls outside the ring.
However,Rocky IIIalso began with a montage after the opening flashback of how Balboa knocked out Apollo Creed to win the heavyweight championship inRocky II.Rocky III’s montage showed clips of some of Balboa’s title defense victories from 1977-1981.Rocky IIIlater established that Balboa won ten title defenses in the five years he was champion. Adding those fights, the total fight count inRocky IIIis 14, andRocky’s record in Sylvester Stallone’s threequel is 11-2-1.
Rocky III Broke The Franchise’s Fight Tradition
As part ofRocky III’s overhaul, the threequel also has the shortest fights of theRockymovies(not counting the climactic street fight between Rocky and Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) inRocky V). Rocky’s wild brawl with Thunderlips only lasted a few chaotic minutes. Rocky vs. Clubber I was a short two-round humiliation of Balboa. In their rematch, Rocky came back and smashed Clubber in an efficient three rounds. It’s unknown how long Rocky’s secret fight with Apollo lasted, but it could have gone their usual 15 rounds.
All 19 Fights In Rocky & Creed Movies, Ranked
The Rocky series is full of famous fights, so here is every single boxing match in the Rocky and Creed movies ranked from worst to best.
RockyandRocky IIestablished theRockymovie tradition of 15-round epic fights.Both Rocky vs. Apollo title fights went a grueling 15 rounds.Rocky vs. Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) inRocky IVwas a superhuman effort that also went a full 15 rounds before “The Italian Stallion” knocked out the imposing Russian. Rocky’s final fight of his career inRocky Balboawent the full 10 rounds in a loss to heavyweight champion Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) by split decision.
Rocky’s Rematch With Clubber Lang Is His Best Ever Movie Fight
Rocky Was Never More Dominant In The Ring
Rocky Balboa’s title matches with Apollo Creed are legendary, and Rocky’s war with Ivan Drago may be Balboa’s greatest victory, butRocky’s hyperkinetic rematch with Clubber Lang was the best “The Italian Stallion” ever fought. Born again from regaining"The Eye of the Tiger,“Rocky revolutionized his fighting style in the mold of Apollo Creed’s. Leaner and faster,Rocky was on a mission to break Clubber Langdown quickly, capitalizing on the “Southside Slugger’s” weaknesses: his overconfidence and lack of endurance.
Rocky III is the only time Balboa was so dominant in the ring.
Rocky Balboa not going 15 rounds against Clubber and knocking him out in three made Rocky even more of a superhero. Rocky was angrier and more aggressive than he ever was before, and Balboa also trash-talked more than in any otherRockymovie. Rocky’s taunts -“You ain’t so bad!"- did the trick and provoked Lang to fall into Rocky’s rope-a-dope trap.Rocky IIIis the only time Balboa was so dominant in the ring, and it was one of the defining victories of Rocky’s legendary career.
